Pakistan and Afghanistan face escalating border and trade tensions

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan are deteriorating due to trade disruptions and security concerns. Pakistani customs authorities have begun auctioning hundreds of containers belonging to Afghan traders at Karachi Port. These goods have been stranded due to high taxes, storage charges, and the prolonged closure of border crossings, including Torkham and Spin Boldak, following intermittent armed skirmishes.

Simultaneously, reports suggest a shift in Pakistan’s security strategy. Former US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has raised concerns that the Pakistani military may be arming Afghan factions to fight anti-Pakistan insurgents, such as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). While Pakistan’s Ministry of Information has dismissed these allegations as ‘baseless and misleading’, analysts warn that using proxies could further destabilize the volatile border region.

The friction stems from long-standing disputes, including disagreements over the Durand Line and accusations from Islamabad that Kabul shelters militants. Recent exchanges of heavy artillery fire in the Kurram district underscore the growing volatility between the two neighbors.